


Hurry up and come back

by cecilebakura



Category: Voltron: Defender of the Universe, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst before fluff, Angst with a Happy Ending, Denial of Feelings, I Tried, I can't believe there's a jealous keith tag this is the best, I may change the tags, Jealous Keith (Voltron), Lance is beautiful and I love him so much, M/M, Manipulative Relationship, Mutual Pining, Regret, Rejection, klangst, other characters to show in later chapters, side Hunk/Shay, side shallura, stubborn lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2018-09-19 10:27:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9436100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cecilebakura/pseuds/cecilebakura
Summary: “I like you”This isn’t how Keith planned on spending his Friday night, chilling in on a couch playing Mario Cart with one of his closest friends. Not like this, with Lance’s face beet red and looking at him straight in the eyes.. Looking for... Something. He don’t know what. But it’s something he can’t give.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I have no idea what I'm doing so enjoy.  
> Title is from the song "Thinking about you" By Ariana Grande cause I listened to it like six times while writing this

**KEITH**

“I like you.” 

This isn’t how Keith planned on spending his Friday night, chilling on a couch playing Mario Cart with one of his closest friends. Not like this. Not with Lance’s face beet red and looking him straight in the eyes, looking for... something. He doesn't know what; but it’s something he couldn’t give.    
  
With the race recap music playing, filling the ever still silence. Keith just looked to the side, unable to maintain eye contact. He was never good with these sorts of things. He’d never felt like that toward anyone except for maybe… one person. 

But it’s not like he can tell that to anyone; not even Lance at the moment. He couldn’t just tell Lance that there’s someone else.   
  
“Oh,” That came out a little more strained than he would’ve liked.

“I’m sorry but... I never really... thought of you like that. I ju--,” he begins to ramble. 

Lance cuts him off, shaking his head, “No--No it’s fine, forget about it.” Lance turns to face the TV, “L-Let’s just forget all about this okay?” 

Keith starts picking at his skin, “Okay.” 

Lance reaches over to grab the remote to turn the volume down, turn the system off, and turn the TV off. “I’ll... I’ll see you later okay?” Lance doesn’t even look at Keith as he turns to rush out the apartment. 

In the following week, no one asks the two why they no longer sit next to each other.

 

**LANCE**

  
  
It was two months when he finally saw it, the way Keith looked at Shiro. It was no wonder. ‘I mean who would pick me over Shiro??’ he thought bitterly. That look of admiration was really what kicked him in the gut. Two years of being utterly, hopelessly infatuated with a guy really does a number on someone.

“I don’t get how after all this time I couldn’t ...  _ see  _ it.”  Lance ran his free hand through his wet hair. “I mean I  _ should  _ have seen  _ something  _ after all this time!”  he ranted into his phone. He paced around his small apartment like a madman. He almost looked the part too with the towel around his neck with a thick layer of his favorite avocado mask covering his face.   
  
“Think of it like this hermanito, do you really wanna see someone you like look at someone else? I’m pretty sure that you would miss that on the account of you having a big old gay crush him,” damn, his sister’s always right. 

“Yeah yeah, but I mean I would have... sensed it right? Like some sort of sixth sense telling me ‘careful my dude! This guy likes someone go in before it’s too late!’ or something.” Lance marched his way into the bathroom and put his sister on speaker so he could wash his mask off.    
It’s such a good stress relief.   
  
The water really calmed him down, he misses the beach.   
  
“That’s life! You can’t just know  _ everything _ , and as much as you L-O-V-E to be a know-it-all, things slip through the cracks. Like what are you gonna do? Plus you’re pretty dense. Hunk even told you the same thing!” 

Snort. He did, didn’t he?

“That’s true... I just, wished I saw…” he turned off the water and looked at himself. He didn’t think he was all bad looking. Thought he was pretty handsome actually, maybe even pretty. Not that it mattered right now. 

“Hey, wanna help me pick out a new moisturizer? I need a good water based one. My skins going dry with all this crush drama stress,”  even with the speaker on, his sister's laugh still brought a smile to his face.

“Sure! I’m free today where we going, Sephora?” 

“You bet your ass we are! Meet me in like an hour.”    
  
Time to get ready. Fuck being sad.   
  
  


**KEITH**   
  
After googling “how to confess to the guy you like” in different variations for a good half a day sitting with his legs crossed on the floor. It was time. Keith prepared for everything. 

Every type of reaction, from flat out rejection to the greatest reaction of having his feelings recuperated. He didn’t know how Lance was able to just confess on a fly. He would have asked for advice, but  asking someone you rejected about confessing to someone else seemed pretty rude.   
  
At least he was still friends with Lance. 

Or so he hopes.

It was awkward, sure, but it’s not like their whole friend group got torn apart from them not sitting close to each other. Hell, it was more peaceful now that they weren’t teasing each other at all hours of the day. 

As long as that stayed the same. What said he couldn’t still hang out with Shiro if he were to be rejected?

Keith glanced at the time on his phone. Shiro should be home from work by now. He shot up from where he was sitting and made his way to his front door. He paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath. The feeling in his legs being numb and the light headedness almost made him not leave...  but Shiro lived just a floor above him, it was now or never.   
  
The walk from his unit to the elevator was nerve wrecking. ‘Now or never, now or never,’ Keith repeated to himself as he stepped into the elevator and hit the fourth floor button. The chances of everything going well was so high, he could feel it. He needed everything to turn out good. ‘Now, or never.’

Annnd here he is, in front of Shiro’s door:  unsure of whether or not to knock or get the hell out of there.   
  
‘Now or never,’ He knocked on the door, and waited.   
  
  
**LANCE**

 

“Okay, no look, this one broke me out once and I don’t dare trust this brand  _ EVER _ again.” Lance stuck his nose up, passing the display with a ‘hmph!’ making his sister giggle. 

“Yeah, yeah, okay. But we are here for one thing, REMEMBER?” His sister nudged him with her elbow, a little too hard which almost ended up knocking him over.    
  
“God Dulce, I’m a man with a broken heart here!” she raised her eyebrow.

“Whatever Lance. Get your moisturizer and let’s get coffee.”

Lance groaned, “That’s why you’re hereee! To help me pick!” He marched over to the skin care area and looked at each brand. 

Fresh... Clinique, Tatcha… oh damn theres GlamGlow. Shiseido was always a safe bet. He crouched down to look at others and turned to his sister, “There’s too much for me to just pick on my own,” he huffed. Dulce crouched down with him and grabbed a blue jar.

“This one is called ’Lancer’ and I think it’s perfect-” 

“I’m not paying close to 200 dollars for that,” she rolled her eyes.

“Whatever. You’re the one that wanted me to help you.”

The two went back and forth between which brands were good and which did what. They practically ignored everyone and everything, completely in their own world. That is… until someone made himself known by clearing his throat. 

They both turned to see a man pointing at the GlamGlow. “Would you mind handing me the silver bottle?“ His smile small and hair beautiful. A wink to top that all off.    
  
“I-I don’t mind, sorry.” Lance handed it over. From his peripheral he could see his sister mouth ‘go for it’ as she got up and waved bye to him.

“My names Lotor.” 

Lance snapped back to look at the man in front of him. “I’m... I’m Lance”    
  
“... Want to get some coffee?” 

“Yes, please.”   
  
**KEITH**

 

“... I don’t think you understand this Keith,” Shiro sighed out. 

Keith was upset, how could he NOT understand how he felt about Shiro?! He’s known forever now! Crossing his arms he slumped down onto Shiro’s couch and glared at the coffee table. He wanted to leave, but Shiro wasn't having any of it. 

“I don’t know what you want me to get, I just want to leave.” he knows now why Lance left so quick.    
  
He didn’t prepare for this.

“Look at it this way, how do you feel about me? Really. Actually explain it and then you’ll see,” Shiro said, trying to make a point.   
  
Great. Keith’s face flushed,  and he hunched over hoping in vain that it would make him smaller or vanish altogether . “I mean, you’re nice, you help me, you’re like a brother to me so what is there that I don’t understand?” Shiro smiled. Wow… thanks heart.    
  
“That right there.”

Keith made a face.

“What’s right where?” He was really lost. 

“Right there, right what you said. ’You’re like a brother to me’ I’ve always seen you as a younger brother. I thought you felt the same way… like we were family.” Shit. 

“Oh...” Keith murmured.

Shiro patted his back. 

“Right. ‘Oh.’ It happens, but really, you’re like family Keith. Just… be careful not to mix family love with  _ love _ love.” Well, this is embarrassing.    
  



	2. You take my love for granted I just don't understand it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is hanging out together and Keith kind of thanks Lance silently for this normality coming back to him, because he never realised how much he missed being this close with Lance.  
> Meanwhile, Lance is smitten with Lotor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Albums I listened to while writing this:  
> Emotion: Side B- Carly Rae Jepsen  
> Views - Drake   
> The chapter title is from the song Too Good by Drake ft. Rihanna  
> I listened to this song wayyyyy too much.

LANCE

 

It’s been two weeks since Lance met Lotor, and he’s just over the moon. Even more so than when he was crushing on Keith.

Almost.

Maybe.

It takes a while,  _ okay _ ?! One does not just ‘get over’ someone. ‘Un clavo saca otro clavo’ doesn’t apply to this situation, because he never dated Keith.

But this doesn’t apply with  _ Lotor. _

_ Beautiful, nice Lotor. _

Tonight is the group's monthly bowling night at the Red Rock and Lance is feeling competitive toward Keith. Which would have been normal, but that hasn’t really been happening lately.

It’s probably because it’s cosmic bowling and that ALWAYS gets him riled up.

“Lookie here mullet man!” Lance yells pointing dramatically toward the darker haired man.

Said man looked up from the touch screen on the table, looking almost confused that he’s even being spoken to.

“I’m going to totally  _ wreck _ your last score!” Lance took up a 8 pound ball and twirled himself to face the pins. “Watch this!” 

  
Lance could practically hear Keith roll his eyes behind him. ‘Good to know he’s coming back to normal.’ He thinks to himself as he gets a skipping start to roll the ball and gets a strike. He threw both arms in the air, finger gunning with a big old grin, “This is how we do it!” he sang.

Coran walks up right straight to Lance and makes a stance “My boy!  _ Look _ ! You need to stick out your rump more,” he takes the ball and cracks his neck before stepping forward. “Remember  _ you _ need to control the ball! It does not control you!” he motions to roll the ball and throws it, with a ton of grace and it rolls and hits perfectly straight in the middle. “See? How perfect and effortless that was?” He gives Lance a grin.

Lance just gives him a smug look and then looks over to Keith, “Now I’ll have the best score!”

Keith just crosses his arms, “It looks like it’ll be  _ Coran _ that does!”

 

____

 

  
While Lance and Keith do whatever it is they’re doing with Pidge snapchatting their little scene, Allura is sitting at the table across from Hunk and talking to him almost like she’s trying to keep whatever they're talking about on the downlow.

“Isn’t it nice that they’re talking to each other?” she tries her best to whisper, but it’s difficult with the loud top 40 pop music blasting over them. 

Shay moves to sit in the space next to Allura and leans in closer to her, “Do you know why Keith has been so quiet lately? The past couple of days he’s been so...  _ reserved _ ?”

“From what I know, he had a talk with Shiro. He hasn’t told me much... Hunk do you know what’s up with Lance?” Allura asks. 

Hunk, Shay and Allura all look toward the front where Lance and Keith are fighting about which ball weight is better. 

Seeing that the two mentioned were paying no mind to them, Hunk begins to talk about how Lance confessed to Keith a while ago. That was when Shiro and Coran both came around from behind Hunk, both curious to hear more of the conversation. 

“So that's what  _ that _ was about?” Shiro sighs, scratching lightly at his temple.

They all sat still, turning to look back at the two battling it out on the bowling alley, and give an all knowing sound, almost as though a revelation came to them. Lance and Keith are such idiots. 

Coran just says how it was just bound to happen. He just wished that he was right about how he thought Keith would like Lance too and just happily leaped into his arms when he had the chance. 

“Ah, young people... I wish they knew how to be more honest with themselves!” he huffed, “Why!! Back in my day I was quite the popular one! Caught the eye of every lady and gent around! Just have to know how to talk to each other and not just keep it all bottled up inside,” he takes a swing of whatever alcoholic drink he was drinking. “That’s the basics of a good and healthy relationship!”

Lance perks up when he hears Coran go on about... whatever it is he’s talking about. He turns and walks over as Keith starts to roll, stealing a sip from Hunk’s drink.

“What’s up?” Lance asks, trying his best to look natural.

“Oh nothing, just Coran being Coran!” Shay saves the day flawlessly. 

Lance just shrugs and immediately goes back after hearing Keith shout something about a strike and Lance has to call bullshit on it because he wasn’t watching and Keith was so  _ obviously _ cheating.

They spend the rest of the time watching Keith and Lance battle against each other with Pidge in the back keeping score. At this point, the score on the screen meant nothing anymore because it was just the two of them going at it under the others’ names.

  
  


KEITH

 

Keith's been down the last couple weeks.

Honestly he’s been down for months, but he was not going to mention that to  _ anyone _ .

At least Lance has been acting more like himself lately. As in the himself  _ prior _ to the confession. Seeing Lance back to normal really put him together and honestly? He likes it. He honestly does.

In the end, Keith beats Lance’s score by a small margin. 

Lance just crosses his arms and pouts, “Shit, I needed like  _ one  _ more strike!!” 

“Oh really? Just  _ one _ strike? You were  _ that _ close?” Keith teases, even mentioning to Lance that he would just have to do better next time. 

He pauses when he notices Allura and Shiro talking at the back of the arcade. Which doesn’t bother him. It used to, but it doesn’t anymore.

He watches them play with the arcade games together, being a cute couple.

\------

 

It was probably for the best that Keith couldn’t hear them. Allura was questioning Shiro about if he knows exactly what’s going on. Sensing her curiosity, Shiro states he’ll explain what he knows later. 

In the end, Allura refused to leave unless she won something at one of the machines. They all stayed behind watching Allura and Shay scream at different machines until they got some sort of plush toy. With Pidge and Corans help, of course.

After a 10 minute, and rather heated, debate in the parking lot, they all decide to go out and eat at Olive Garden. Don’t judge, they can’t afford Brio.

“Shay honey, want to share this with me?” Hunk showed the menu to Shay, leaning in to her as she smiled and nodded.

“Only if you would want to share  _ this _ with me,” she flips the menu page over and Hunk just nods.

“Deal.”

Keith can’t help but think how cute Shay and Hunk are. They just know each other so well and just know each other’s likes. Not even hesitating. They’re what he hopes to have in the future. He hopes to have a cute relationship like that. 

And that is when he hears it. He just hears Lance laugh at one of Coran’s jokes and it just… well… fills him up.

Keith almost doesn’t know what to do with the fact that after going not even three full months of not hearing Lance laugh that he would feel like this. 

It was almost as though his entire body was singing. He couldn’t quite place it... but it was something. Something he had never experienced before. But what was it?

‘What is this?’ he thinks, trying really hard to make it look like he’s just looking for something good on the menu. ‘I feel sick... A  _ good _ sick?’ he sneaks another glance over to Lance, whose smile makes him want to dance on the table. Is that a normal feeling? Who knows. 

After eating and everyone winds down, they all end up leaving separately. Keith is just heading over to his bike, but hearing Lance’s soft laugh caused him to stop and look back. He sees Lance texting with the smallest smile on his face and Keith can’t help but smile along with him. 

He pulls himself back to reality to put his helmet on and ride off. 

 

\----

 

This goes on, for the next few times he hangs out with everyone, plus Lance. 

Which is totally different from what happened after the confession:  when he felt so awkward and he just wanted to shy away and hide from Lance.

Maybe it did impact their friend group. When he hung out with everyone they would be so distant. That or maybe it was him trying to distance himself from everyone? He wasn’t completely sure what it was. 

He just knew that after confessing to Shiro, everything was still the same between them. Maybe he really  _ REALLY _ did see him like a brother. That was stupid. To confuse romantic feelings with family love. How could he be  _ that _ stupid?

In the following days, Keith starts to notice Lance more. He finds himself thinking about Lance’s confession and feels a small but painful tinge of regret. He thinks back to every awkward moment where he just wanted to be normal with him, just like how they were before. Was everything okay now? He guessed so? But something about seeing Lance with a dreamy smile as he held his phone close just struck him the wrong way.

Why?

Why did it hurt whenever he witnessed Lance being teased by Hunk and Pidge about some “mystery guy”?

Why is it when they all go mess around at Town Square, he winds up all upset when Lance shies away to answer some call?

Why is his voice so  _ tender _ to the person on the other side?

Lance blushes, and that's when realisation hits Keith. He's so  _ fucked _ .

 

LANCE

  
Lance was sprawled over Hunk and Shay’s laps going on and on about the beautiful man he met last month. “And did I mention he called me pretty!? He’s god’s gift sent to me in my time of need!”    
  
“That’s great, but in all this time you’ve spent talking about him you never even mentioned his name. Lance, how am I going to look this guy up if I don’t have a name?! Lance!” Pidge slapped their keyboard in demand only to get a smirk from the Cuban boy. 

“Awww, Pidge cares about meeeee~,” he sang almost rolling off his friends in order to dodge a pillow thrown his way.

“Shut up!” Pidge puffed up. “I’m just looking out for you!  You've been so quiet ever since... you know … it's hard not to be concerned.”    
  
“Yeah, it’s nice to see you back to... Well… uh.. ‘normal’ as we call it…,” Hunk adds in, relieved that Lance didn’t seem to be hurting anymore. 

“Wow. Geez, thanks Hunk. You truly are my best friend,” Lance smiled.

“So are you going to be telling us ‘mystery man’s’ name?” Pidge uncrossed their legs and set aside their laptop. 

“I invited him over so you’ll get to meet him soon, little Pidget.” Lance tried to make his way off of his friends laps and off the couch.

“After we exchanged numbers and got to know each other, I told him I was thinking that maybe we should have a hang out,” he said taking out his phone to just look at their texts to each other. “You know,” Lance closed the messenger app and opened his music, “So everyone can meet him.”

“That’s really quick, Lance,” Shay spoke up. “You just met him, and yet you want him to meet everyone?” 

“Shaaaaaay,” Lance looked up from his phone, “He’s so nice and I haven’t felt this way with someone for months!” he whined, “Plus it’s been a  _ month _ , I don’t think that counts as ‘quick.’” 

Shay rolls her eyes at how extra Lance was about his crush with ‘mystery man.’ Sure, it was cute. Lance was being really cute and she was genuinely happy for him, but wow could he be  _ extra. _

Lance was starting to ramble now. He was just going on and on about Lotor. Lotor is so  _ caring!  _  And so _ funny! _ and he’s never met anyone who's so upfront and willing to flirt with  _ him _ .  _ LANCE _ would be the one who was flustered. Like how new was that?! It was an all time new, that’s what! No one had ever shown interest toward him  _ first _ and done anything about it and it just makes him so happy. With someone so different and new, how could he not be happy?

Hunk smiles as he gets up, “So while I make that malasada sundae you asked for, you text this ‘mystery man’ and tell him to come and hang out with us the next time we are all together. Anyone who makes you this bubbly is worth meeting.”

Lance grins from ear to ear, “That's the plan!” The young Cuban boy immediately whips out his phone and quickly shoots a text to  _ his _ man.

 

KEITH

 

To: Shiro   
I’m having a crisis

From: Shiro   
Keith it’s 3:15 am what are you doing up? Do I need to come over? 

To: Shiro    
No

To: Shiro   
No you don’t

To: Shiro    
I think I’m stupid?

From: Shiro    
What happened for you to think that? Details, please.

To: Shiro    
I didn’t tell you   
but a few months ago    
Lance confessed to me

To: Shiro    
I rejected him

From: Shiro    
I heard from Hunk last time we were all out. I figured that’s what your confession thing was about. Is this what this is about? What happened? Are you sure you don’t need me to come over? Allura said she can drive us over. 

To: Shiro    
No    
no don’t

To: Shiro    
It’s just   
I think I like him

To: Shiro   
I fucked up   
  


Keith didn’t even wait for Shiro to reply before chucking his phone across the room. He didn't even flinch as the poor device bounced off the wall and fell to the floor with a rather loud clattering noise. 

He huffed and started to pull at his hair, almost shaking as he started to cry out of frustration.

“How could I be so stupid?! Fuck!”  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments would be really nice!   
> I really want to thank my friends that helped me with this!!!! <3  
> @_MarksTuan & @Akutares I love you both! Thanks for helping me with my english love you both.  
> And thank you for all of you who commented and left kudos for the first chapter!   
> \----  
> Look me up as @cecilebakura for any social media to yell at me about this. I'm almost on everything.


	3. and my one regret is you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashbacks, dabbles, and a lot of pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know it's been a while since I updated and I am sorry. Life got in the way and I hope I don't take as long writing the next chapter!! I made this one really long (seriously it's almost 10,000 words) and I'm not sorry about how long it is. Hope you all enjoy <33333  
> Thanks so much Yoseobies for helping me with my English as always! You're the best ;;;;  
> Albums I listened to while writing this:  
> Too many but mostly Views, Dangerous Woman, Glory, and just... Beyonce....  
> Title from the song nearly witches-PATD  
> Also dropping mad hints that I'm from Vegas.

 

LAST YEAR

  
  
  


“Fuuuckkkk! Keith! What the fuck! How did you even DO that?!” Lance throws his controller to the other side of his couch. “How the fuck do you just jump from one part of the track to the end?! What the fuck is that! CHEATER! CHEATER!”  Lance begins throwing a mock fit. Keith on the other hand can't help but throw his head back in laughter at this boy's exaggerated antics.

“It’s called actually being GOOD at Mario Kart, Lance,” Keith tries to say in between laughs. He honestly did not think he was going to be able to pull that stunt off. It wasn’t easy, nor was it like he had practiced it. There was a good chance he would have fallen off the map entirely. Rainbow road was always a pain in the ass anyway, but actually managing to succeed with that trick makes everything sooooo worth it.

What made it better? Being able to tease Lance about it with everyone else from their group.

 

\----------

  
  


The gang was bustling with excitement as they made their way into the water park. They always talked about going there, but had never actually found the right time to do so. However, today was the perfect day. It was one of the hottest days of the summer. The sun was blaring down on them mercilessly, so what better way to beat the heat than by splashing around in cold water all day? They didn't have all day though. With time against them, the group split up in attempt to try everything they could before the park closed.

“What the fuck Lance,” Keith deadpans at the tall Cuban boy. “Let’s just relax for once. I haven’t been to a water park since wet-n-wild closed down like almost two decades ago.” 

Lance pouted, “Come on dude!” He quickly scans the park, looking for anything that he could potentially turn into a competition. ”Look!” The Cuban boy points in the direction of a giant slide, grinning widely. “That yellow/orange slide! I bet YOU can’t even make it down without screaming!” 

“Tch... You know what? Fuck it, you’re ON” Keith shrugs before marching his way over to the slide with Lance in toe.

In the end, they both wound up screaming at the top of their lungs. Soon after, they decided to go down every single slide together. They had such a blast that they even forgot that they came with a whole group. Not just each other.

 

\---------

 

“BEEDRILL!” 

The scream caused Lance to snap his head up from his phone. He watched as a huge mob of people began to run to one side of the park. He hesitated and turned to Hunk. “Did you hear that?” Hunk shrugged and continued to walk down the trail of the park. Lance looked back over to the crowd . Feeling his phone vibrate, he looked down seeing that he had a text from Keith.

From: Keith   
Beedrill

Before he could even properly read the text, Lance sprints away. He nearly fell straight on his face while screaming “IT’S BIG DICK BEE!” Hunk starts to run after him but Lance was far too gone. The blue eyed boy was nearly breathless when he reached the crowd. He rushes around and squeezes in between people muttering ‘Big dick bee’ over and over. At this point he’s pretty sure his lungs are about to explode. 

“Lance!” He turns around and sees Keith wave him down. Lance jogs over to him. He holds his phone out and spins around to try to see if he can still get his bee. 

“Shit, Shit!” he looks around and sees others who also aren’t finding the pokemon. “Am I too late?” he breathed out, looking back at Keith. Keith shakes his head. Yeah, he really missed it. “Ughhhhhhhh,” he rakes his free hand through his hair out of frustration. “I shouldn’t have hesita-- shit. Wait... where’s Hunk? HUNK!” he searches around the sea of people, but doesn’t see Hunk anywhere. “Shiiit.”

Keith pats Lance’s shoulder and guides him out of what he considers to be a mob, ”If Hunk knows any better, then he knows not to be surrounded by people like this at almost 9pm.”

After finding Hunk, they all wind up spending the night at Lance’s, who was basically pouting the whole time. 

"Well, I was already sitting there when Beedrill showed up. I texted you to let you know, but I mean... really you should have just run with the mob. Always run with the mob. They usually know what they're doing." Keith chuckles as he looks at Lance who is making faces at Keith.

Lance and Keith fall asleep next to each other, on the couch cuddling while covered with a blanket Hunk draped over them.

Hunk takes a picture and posts it in the group chat labeled ‘The Gang Minus Klance’.

  
  


\------

 

It was just the two of them this time. Sing has just been released in theaters and no one from the group really wanted to join them to watch it. Who says they need a big group to go see this movie? It’s just a movie, and they’re NOT on a date. No date, nope, not a date. Totally not a date.

Just two dudes, wanting to see a movie... Together. Nothing date-y about this. 

Okay, who is Lance kidding? Keith’s laugh is so adorable and every time he laughs at something going on in the movie it makes Lance want to swoon and announce his crush to the whole world! But he totally won’t, he can’t ruin what they have. No matter how Keith’s smile is like a beam of sun. 

Too precious. He can't help but be distracted from the movie whenever Keith laughs or mutters something about how much of a dick Ash's boyfriend was. Something about Keith's reactions just made this night all the more enjoyable. Heck, Lance probably didn't even need to pay attention to the movie. He could watch Keith react to it all day if he had the chance. Wait... was that an option?

God he wishes this was a date.

 

\--------

 

It’s a downright shame that Keith lives in the same building as Shiro and yet he almost never gets to spend time alone with him. Shiro’s always with Allura these days. Nothing wrong with Allura, just that she takes up almost all of Shiro’s free time.

It wasn't even his big dumb old crush on the guy, he just genuinely missed Shiro. He just misses Shiro.  Low-key he hoped that Shiro and Allura weren't dating. He really hopes he isn’t dating her. 

Unlocking his phone, Keith begins to wonder if he should text Shiro. You know… just to see if he’s free. There’s a new show he’s been watching on Hulu and who knows… maybe Shiro hasn’t seen it yet?  

To: Shiro   
Hey, I started watching Superstore, have you seen it? Want to watch it together?

He drops his phone on his bed and gets up to grab himself a water bottle.  Just as he moves toward his desk to get the half empty water bottle, he hears his phone faintly vibrate. He snaps around and launches himself immediately onto his bed. He almost misses his bed as he scrambles for the phone, eager to see Shiro's response.

From: Shiro    
Haven’t heard of it, want to come over to watch it? Allura was helping me pick something to watch anyways and we were never able to decide. Lol

Well... shit... really?? All Keith wanted was to spend time alone with Shiro, how hard was that? 

To: Shiro   
Sure.

Fine. He just wanted to spend time with Shiro. He doesn't see him anymore... and alone or not... this was still time with him. Even if he's disappointed in the end, he could suck it up. Time with Shiro was time with Shiro.

 

\-------

 

“So I think, like, in a few days... I’m going to confess to Keith.” 

Dulce spits out her coffee. “Dude, don’t be telling me that while I’m drinking my coffee. What the fuck’s wrong with you?!” Lance grins shyly as he hands her a handful of napkins so she could dry herself off.

“Do you think I’ll be making a mistake?” he wavers. It was so unlike him; sounding so unsure. “I doubt he’ll feel the same way but...” He trails off as he begins to focus on a table nearby.

His sister leans back in the chair and thinks, just for a second, a small second “the way the both of you act, I’m sure he likes you too.” she reassures him.

Breathing out a breath he didn’t realise he was holding, he grins, “Thanks.”

 

\-------

 

Keith and Lance are at it again,this time it’s over some phone game that they had somehow managed to turn into a competition.  They had moved their chairs together in order to share Keith's tiny phone screen. They're so obviously invested in their competition together that they end up basically ignoring everyone else as they await their food.

It was a late Friday morning in downtown Vegas, the gang had decided to meet up at this small place called EAT to have brunch. They only ate brunch because no one liked to wake up early to meet for breakfast. Also it made them feel more like adults.

“Do you think if our food comes and I take it… that they’ll notice?” Hunk asks as he pours milk into his iced coffee. 

“If I have anything to say, I want to say that they won’t even notice if we all started to talk about how they’re going to get married one day,” Pidge glances  at the two in question to see if one of them would actually respond. Both of them had scooted even closer by now, “Nope. Lookie there, I can plan their wedding and they wouldn’t know any better.”   

Shiro laughs and tries to take a sip of his hot tea without burning himself.  He was careful not to move, attempting to hide the fact that he and Allura were holding hands under the table. They aren’t that slick though. Anyone paying at least a little bit of attention could see that something was going on between them. No one was going to call them out though.  Unlike the two resident idiots over there, they weren't going to deny it if someone did call them out.

“I bet... by the end of the year... they’re going to be boyfriends!” Allura announces confidently as she elegantly places down a twenty dollar bill in the center of the table.

Aside from the bustling restaurant around them and the changing arguments about who is better at what (by the two idiots), the group was silent. For what seems like merely minutes, everyone is scrambling to dig through their wallets in order to pull out their own bills.

“I bet a month!” Shay slams down her bet on top of Allura’s.

“NUH UH!” Hunk interrupts ”Honey, I love you, but I have to bet two months. You know how stubborn both of them are!” Hunk slaps his bet down and strikes an assertive pose.

“AS HIS SISTER,” Dulce yells over them. “I know Lance is WAAAY too impatient to wait any longer!” she shouts as she holds her bet of three clean, crisp twenty dollars bills. “He’ll confess before the end of this week,” she proclaims, with her nose up in the air and a big ass cocky grin on her face.

Pidge rolls their eyes. “But, you know Lance goes to Keith’s every other week for movie night. It’s going to be then. So the week after next!” she tosses her bet in the pile.

“Why does everyone think it could be LANCE that makes a move? It could very well be Keith that confesses,” Coran almost slams his bet down, “Keith is going to confess before the new moon in April, 61 days exactly.”

“Why 61 days?” Shiro lays his bet down. “I think Keith would, but he could be a while. I say by July.” 

The bet pile ends up coming out to almost two hundred dollars. However, the two subjects of the bet were completely unaware of the events taking place right in front of them.

“They’re so into each other it makes me wonder if Ariana’s song is based off of them,” Dulce cackles, making room as she spots their waiter heading toward them with food.

“I don’t doubt it,” Pidge points over to Lance, “If that’s not the face of someone who’s totally smitten then I don’t know shit, and I had the highest GPA over all of you.” 

Allura nods as she glances at the pile of money before them. Just as their food is being set down, she turns to the rest, “So who’s going to be the gatekeeper for this?” 

Everyone shrugs and tips their waiter (THANK AND TIP YOUR WAITERS GUYS), also taking the time to notice that Lance and Keith STILL haven’t looked up from the phone screen. 

“I have a box in my car we can use,” Coran speaks up, “We can keep it all in there... Until someone wins.” The group agrees and Coran runs off to his car. 

“That takes care of that... So who’s going to let those two know their foods here?” Shiro laughs.

 

\--------

  
  


To: Hunk   
Wyd

From: Hunk    
I’m at the boba place with Pidge.

To: Hunk    
Jackie Bee?

From: Hunk   
Yeah

To: Hunk    
On my wayy

From: Hunk    
See you soon :)

Lance had run the fuck out of there. He couldn’t be there anymore than he had to. How could he?

After he confessed to Keith, Lance ran out of there and got to his car as fast as he could.  Keith knew now. That thought shook him up real bad. He knew. Lance put his feelings out there and now what? Keith didn't feel the same. He fucked up. He fucked everything up. Everything.

He tried his best not to cry, but with all the negative thoughts swirling through his head at that moment... it was hard not to. He texted Hunk and really tried his best to make it look like he wasn’t having a huge breakdown.

Once he got out to the parking lot, the tears wouldn’t stop. He desperately wanted to keep his composure; even if it was just enough so he would be able to drive without risk of crashing into someone. He might actually crash at this rate. He’s almost surprised when he doesn’t and messily attempts to park next to Pidges car.

He collects himself while his car is still running, repeating to himself, “I’ll be okay, everything’s going to be okay.” He steadied himself and his breathing as he stumbled out of the car. 

The workers recognized him as a regular and greeted him cheerfully. Lance tried to throw his best smile and walked to the counter and ordered his usual thai coffee. After paying, he turned and saw Hunk and Pidge sitting by the booth area. 

The moment Hunk looked up at Lance the floodgates opened up. Hunk shot up from where he was sitting and ran up to Lance, leaving Pidge sitting there confused.

“Dude, are you okay? What happened?” Hunk took Lance by the hand and guided him over to sit at the booth they were at.

“I fucked up.” Lance choked out in between tears. 

Pidge shoved everything that was scattered on their table into their messenger bag, making room so Lance could hunch over it. “Fucked up what?” they asked, reaching across the table to pat Lance’s head.

“He… rejected... me...” was all he could get out. Pidge looked over to Hunk with wide eyes, mouthing the words ‘holy fuck’. No one could have even thought this was a possibility.

 

\--------

  
  


Hunk and Shay had both demanded that Lance should stay at their apartment for the night. They and Pidge all agree that he shouldn’t be left alone. At least… not tonight. Not after what happened, not after the scene he made at their hangout spot. Not after Hunk had to drive Lance’s car back because he was in no condition to drive.

“This is a huge mess,” Shay says weakly, almost on the verge of tears herself after hearing what Lance had been through. She walks out of her and Hunks shared room, “at least he’s fast asleep now. Poor boy cried himself to sleep.”

Pidge sat criss crossed on the floor against the couch, head back and fingers pressed against the bridge of their nose. “This is an outcome I never knew was even possible.”

Hunk nodded in agreement and sat down on the floor next to them, “Well… we all knew that Lance liked Keith, none of us were wrong about that. Right?”

Shay flopped onto the couch with an ‘ohff’, “was the bet bad luck?”

No one wanted to make a sound, that bet was one hundred ninety dollars total and what do they do? Should they call up Allura, or Coran? Who do they call? Should they call off the bet? What does anyone say to that? ‘Lance confessed! So Dulce won, but Keith rejected him... so it’s void?’ 

Honestly, what the fuck.

 

\----

 

_ Knock, knock. _

There it is. Either it’s the pizza Keith ordered or someone’s here to confront him. It doesn’t take a genius to know which one was more desired. 

It had not even been more than 24 hours since Lance confessed to him.  By this point, he had absolutely no motivation to leave home outside of work. Heck, he even ignored the group chat. He ignored most of if not all of his texts with the exception of Shiro's.

There was a second knock. Fuck.

Praying that it really was his pizza, he peers through the peep hole only to see Pidge. Yup, no pizza. He unlocks the door and removes the deadbolt, “Hey.”

“Hey,” they let themselves in without waiting for anything else from Keith. 

Pidge takes it upon themselves to sit on Keith’s couch, looking at him and softly patting the spot next to them. “Take a seat. We need to  _ talk _ .”

‘Fuckkkkk….’  Keith awkwardly made his way to the couch, cautiously taking the seat next to Pidge. He did his best to remain composed, but it all was just a vain attempt to hide just how much he was freaking out inside .

“Is... Is this about Lance?” Keith began to fiddle with the hem of his glove, silently wishing he could be anywhere else but here.

“Yes,” they crossed their arms, “He’s crying his  _ heart _ out and I want to know what happened.”

‘Of course...’ Keith takes in a deep breath, “Well, what’s there to know? I don’t feel the same way and that’s all there is to it,” he looks away from Pidge. “I wasn’t even mean about it....” 

Pidge slowly nods along with what he’s saying. “Okay, but listen Keith.” They put their hands together. “I know I wasn’t the only one who thought that in the end, the two of you would have ended up together. We  _ ALL _ thought the both of you liked each other, so what is it that we aren’t getting?” 

Keith froze at Pidge’s choice of words. ‘All?’ What exactly did they mean by ‘all’ ? The worry began to show on his face more as he turned to face Pidge. “Are you.... telling me that the  _ whole _ group thought Lance and I were going to get together? Going to date? Why’s that? What gave y’all that impression?” 

Pidge cracked her neck, “Maybe the way you two always act around each other?” They hold out their hand to count on their fingers, “The way you look at each other, the way you would get lost in your own worlds and even ignore people around you?the way that--”

Keith cuts them off, “No.”

Pidge looked him dead in the eyes and squinted at him like he was crazy, “What do you mean ‘ _ no _ ’?”

“No, because if anything... I’m like that with Shiro. I like Shiro.” he breathes out.

“Wh-wha--what...  _ WAIT _ . Hold up!” They quickly wave their hands in front of them. “Shiro? The same Shiro in our little ol’ group? Shiro, the ‘I’m secretly dating Allura and Keith is my unofficial adopted brother’,  _ that _ Shiro?”

What a punch in the gut. “He’s so nice and helps take care of me and makes sure that I don’t over work myself!” Okay, why is liking Shiro such a bad thing? How bad does it have to be for Pidge to be looking at him like he grew a second head?

“Dude, I was so sure you were both related when I first met you.” Pidge’s face was buried in their hands by now, unsure if it would be more appropriate to laugh or to be super grossed out by this newfound information.

Pidge cannot,  _ CANNOT _ tell this to Lance, because he would probably feel the same way.

_ ‘Knock, knock.’ _

Finally, there’s the pizza.

(I hate this whole part it makes me so uncomfortable I deleted a lot of it because honestly they’re brothers I can’t wait to rewrite this shit show)

 

\------

 

“ _ Soooo _ ... What exactly are we doing?” Hunk asks as he watches Lance and his sister dance along to some song he’s never heard of.

“Dude! I need something to cheer me up! I need my Queen Celia!” Lance yells over the music.

Hunk nods and goes back to blasting the music and dancing with his best bro to help him feel better faster.

“I need this on my story,” Pidge takes the video they already recorded and added it to their story.  After doing so, they decided to go back and playback the other videos on their story to see who else had viewed it. Of course... Keith was lurking. Pidge smirked and decided to shoot him a text.

To: Keith    
So having second thoughts about Lance now or are you just getting rid of the stories?

From: Keith   
I don’t like seeing new stories, makes it seem like I’m far behind.

To: Keith   
You literally only have us memers on there and Lance and I post the most?

After a while, they don’t get a response and they sigh in frustration. Keith these days,  _ honestly _ .

The music starts blasting louder. “Sing it hermanito!” Dulce yells, her voice getting drowned out and lost in the music. Pidge guesses this is Lance’s part of the song, because he started singing along.

‘ _ Todo es tan relativo _ ’ Lance extends his hand out for Pidge to grab and has them dance with him as he sings. ‘ _ No es que recuerde sino que no olvido _ .’ Pidge is an awful dancer, but tries for Lance anyways. ‘ _ Eso es el perdon _ ,’ Lance switches out with Hunk and dances with his sister again. ‘ _ Recordar sin dolor _ ,’ Hunk and Pidge dance alongside Lance and his sister. He looks happy again, and they all hope he stays that way.

 

\----

 

The Fashion Show is one of Lance’s favorite places to hang out. He loves how big it is and how he could shop there for almost anything and everything. Tourists be damned. But it was so hard when their little group was hanging out and  _ KEITH _ was here too. 

Lance still hasn’t gotten over his confession to Keith and he wanted to stay as far away from him as possible.  His friends really aren't helping with situation either. Every time he tried to break off from the group, Hunk was there to pull him back into the circle. And well... guess who was there following along with them. Just one guess.

Fucking Keith.

This stress is  _ so _ not good for his skin. 

When he finally finds the opportunity to, he sneaks off and hides in Lush to buy some bath bombs _. _ _ Ah _ , the sweet smell of roses reminds him of his Abuela. He puts the rose one in a little bag and happily skips over  to the counter. Damn it. He spotted Keith watching him from the outside.  _ ‘So much for sneaking off...’ _ His smile falls. ‘ _ Why _ does _ he _ have to keep following  _ me _ ?’ Lance pays for the thing and stomps over to Keith.

“Why are  _ you _ looking for me?” 

Keith was taken aback by this, almost like he was caught off guard that he was being spoken to at all. His gaze begins to waver as he stumbles over his words, “I-I came to g... get you, we’re heading over CPK before we leave... No one knew where you were so...” he trails off, looking anywhere but at Lance, “I just… thought you would be here...”

Oh... right. At some point they actually knew a lot about each other. That hurt. 

“Well, thanks for that? I’ll... Just  _ gooo _ ...” Lance takes a walking start, not wanting to be near Keith while he makes his way over to the other side of the mall.

They arrive together, much to Lance's dismay. Thank god though, everyone was already seated at a table and he didn't have to sit next to Keith. What luck. He quickly jogs over and claims the spot between Hunk and Allura, doing his best to not pay Keith any mind.

That is... until mid-way into biting into his slice of pizza does he notice Keith giving Shiro... That look. He wasn’t sure what it was. A look of admiration? Actual goo goo eyes? Oh.. he wasn’t bitter. Not at all. ‘I’m not bitter...’ he thought to himself as he took an irrationally violent bite of his pizza. Good thing no one was paying attention to him.

The rest of their time together is spent dicking around at Dick's Sporting Goods and him glaring daggers at Keith . He wasn’t bitter.  _ Nope _ .

\----

 

From: Pidge   
Hey Shiro, can I ask you a question?

From: Shiro   
What’s up?

From: Pidge    
You know what’s up with Keith? He won’t tell me and I’m so over this whole ‘I’m soooo emo’ he has going on. It’s so much more than usual and very extra.

From: Shiro    
Not sure if it’s my place to say.

From: Pidge   
If you say so, but know this is the easy way because I can do this the hard way and just look at any and all of your texts. Maybe I’ll see some saucy stuff. How dare you do this to me Shiro? I am but a child.

From: Shiro   
You only use the child excuse when you benefit from it. :c    
Fine, most I’m going to tell you is that Keith was Keith and doesn’t know love very well.

From: Pidge   
Did he confess to you finally or what? Because I’m still very grossed out on the fact he said he liked you and I thought you guys were brothers for a WHILE.

(They are brothers can’t wait to rewrite this)

From: Shiro   
I honestly forget I’m not related to him and just talk and introduce him as my brother. Did he tell you what happened? Because as I’ve said, it’s not my place to say.

From: Pidge   
He hasn’t told me anything other than what I just told you. 

(I wish I didn’t base this off of ccs like sakuras crush I really wish)

From: Shiro   
Then you’ll have to ask him directly.

From: Pidge   
Ughhhhh Shiro why do you have to make this so hard??? Anyways, did Lance tell you about this ‘Mystery Man’? Because I’m INVESTED. 

\-------------

  
  


After confessing to Shiro, Keith and him remain close. There was no tension, and he even had hang outs with Shiro AND Allura. He could still joke around with Shiro and have fun. So... why was this so different? Why was this so different from what happened between him and Lance? He seriously would do anything for Lance to at least talk to him again. If only it was this easy.

Keith couldn't even go out with the group without 1. Shying away from Lance or 2. Lance just giving him the cold shoulder. He craved Lance's friendship again. He thought everything would be okay... but this couldn't be further away from that. There was something different, and damn did different hurt. He just... misses Lance.

 

\------

  
  


Allura and Shiro finally announce that they're dating-- well BEEN dating-- and are going to be living together in her home . 

They were all at Sunset Park playing Pokemon Go when the couple made the announcement. It was about time! Everyone was so happy for them, even Keith. He wasn't bothered or upset or anything, which was good.

Pidge, while no one was looking, pulled Keith to the side, “Okay so what now? Are you going to consider Lance? What is he to you  _ now _ ?” 

"I'm... sure I still don't feel that way toward him..." Keith shrugs, though he sounded almost unsure about what he just said. Pidge raises a curious brow and slowly nods before going on about their own business. What a shame.

 

\-------

  
  


PRESENT  _ 3:30am _

  
  
  


“How the fuck am I so fucking  _ stupid _ ?!” Keith kicks his legs into the air, almost thrashing around. He felt like some sort of kid throwing a tantrum like this, but he needed to let out some of this frustration somehow.

Keith groans as he thinks back to how he could have picked up the pieces long ago.Thinking about it now... just how big of a fool was he? Pidge had practically given him his second chance. Was that it? Was he too late? Who the fuck was this 'mystery man'? The thought of Lance being with another man made his blood run cold.  

Who seduced Lance and took him away before he could even realise what he was missing?

His phone is faintly vibrating from the other side of the room, but he doesn't go or even jump to answer it.

Not the first time. 

Not the tenth time. 

Not when the sun leaks through the blinds.

He must have ignored it too long, because there was a soft knock on his door.  'Fuck,' he lazily pushed himself up and did his best to stand despite his legs shaking like hell. He was so tired... and his heart felt so heavy he thought it might actually fall out of his body. He dragged himself to the door and opened it, suprised to see Allura standing before him. 

“Hey Keith, wanna talk?” she held up a thermal, “I brought hot chocolate.”

  
\----

 

She doesn’t ask many questions and he’s thankful for that. He sits on his couch and cries as Allura gently pets his head much like a mother would. 

“So...” Keith starts shaking. “Who is Lance’s ‘mystery man’?” he asks in a broken voice. “Do you think I’m too late? Should I even bother? Am I able to fight this?” 

Allura sighs and pauses. “I don’t know for sure. You can never be too late, but all I know is that Lance really likes this guy.” Keith groans, trying to swallow his tears.

Allura pets his head again, “You really should have a talk with Lance. You’re miserable.” she hands over the hot chocolate and makes him drink it. She's REALLY sure that he would be able to go on without Lance’s friendship, “At the very least, you should talk to him so you don’t lose him as a friend.” 

Keith’s breathing is unsteady, he’s dizzy from crying, light headed and dazed. Somehow despite all of that he musters up the energy to mumble a small, ”Okay.”

 

\------

  
  
  


Lance and Lotor are out on a date at the Fashion Show. 

They start their little mall date at Sephora and work their way to Forever 21 and from there end up at Lush.  At Lush, Lance is excitingly showing Lotor all of the bath bombs. "All of them are really great!" he grins as looks over each bath bomb carefully. "They all make my skin feel amazing. Whenever I use them my skin becomes silky smooth!"

Lotor leans into Lance from behind and whispers into his ear, “so when are we going to share one of these?”  If there was a way to get Lance flustered, this was it. He could feel Lotor's warm breath tickling against his ear and it sends an jolt of electricity straight up his spine.

While Lotor goes off to buy ten different bath bombs, Lance needs to take the time to calm down his hormones . “So, where to next babe?” he turns to Lotor flashing a bashful smile.

"I was thinking that since I plan to take you to California next month, why not go and get you an outfit or two?" Lotor hums playfully. "We could try TopShop." With that, they took the short walk over to TopShop. The inside was crowded and honestly way too hot. It felt like Vegas seriously over compensated for things when it was even just a little cold. Ridiculous, really .

Lance loves TopShop, but it was just way too expensive. He would usually go in by himself to look at different clothes and shoes only to be disappointed when he saw how much everything cost. 

Lotor watches as Lance browses through aisles and frowns at the price tags. He steps in between Lance and the clothing rack, causing the young Cuban to look confused.  

"Money isn't a problem. Anything you want, just grab it." Lotor shoots him a sweet smile, which only results with Lance frowning deeper.

“Are you sure??” Lance crosses his arms and looks around again, glancing over at the one hundred eighty some dollar blazer a bit away from them. 

Lotor takes that as a hint and takes it off the rack. “What’s your size, Darling?” 

They spend the next three hours at TopShop just of Lance trying on different outfits and Lotor picking out items for him to try on. He kept holding the items for Lance too, refusing to put them down. Lance tries to talk Lotor into only buying one outfit, but Lotor just shakes his head in response. "You deserve so much more. This is a small price to pay to make sure my man looks good."

Lance blushes at this and hugs Lotor. “Thank you, Babe.”

Once they finally get everything to the checkout, Lance is SO anxious. How could he not be? Honestly? Each piece was like one hundred fifty dollars each! And oh man. The total ended up close to eight hundred dollars. Lance was sweating as he stared at the price. How could he let anyone spend this much on him? Lotor on the other hand just winks at him as he pays, "Anything for you, lovely. ”

After that, they head to Starbucks where they spent a little more time hanging out before the mall closes. While waiting for their drinks, they took the time to talk about anything and everything they could. Lance couldn't help but feel so loved. Like someone genuinely cared? It was nice. He didn't want the day to end, but reality was calling. He had work in the morning... the mall was closing soon... and he still had to call Hunk and tell him about everything that had happened today . 

Once it's finally time to go, they kiss goodbye in the parking lot and head off in their separate directions. The second he gets to his car, Lance wastes no time to call Hunk. He whipped his phone out so fast he probably could have broken his poor phone if he had done so any faster.

"Dude! My man just spent like.... 800 plus dollars on me??? What do I do? He's got  _ MONEY _ ." He yells into his phone as he looks back at all the things in his car, nearly all of which were purchased by Lotor for him. Like seriously, his car was filled to the brim.

Hunk couldn't help but laugh at the way Lance was freaking out. He suddenly stopped when he heard something about hundred plus dollars. "Wait... how much?"

Lance could feel beads of sweat forming around his forehead as he read the receipt that was left in one of the bags. "Mystery Man just took me to Topshop and basically bought the whole store? Send  _ help _ ."

\------

 

After getting off the phone, Lance races over to Hunk and Shay's place. He marches into their home with all of the bags of things Lotor had gotten him in that one mall visit. "He. Spent. So. Much. Money. On. Me." With wide eyes, he dumps everything onto their coffee table. 

"That's so nice of him!" Shay gasps, eyes just as wide as Lance's as she shuffles through everything in front of them.

"Dude..." Hunk starts as he glances from the clothes on the table to Lance. "You just got yourself a Sugar Daddy."

A... what now? He did not just... Oh but he did. "Wait--," Lance started, "No! No, no. He just bought me bath bombs... and clothes... and food..." Lotor was his boyfriend now, not some sugar daddy. That was ridiculous. Boyfriends can spoil their boyfriends!

Just then, Pidge busts through the front door just in time. "LMAOOOOO. Lance got himself a Sugar Daddy!"

 

\-------

 

Open up to Downtown Summerlin, the gang is messing around and having an honest to god good time. Pidge had dragged everyone into Sugar to get their sugar fix and Allura made the group wait while she picked out new Lululemons. Oh and don't even get started on Hunk, who went hand in hand with Shay to Sur La Table and spent two whole hours there. So pretty average for a trip to Summerlin.

It was time for their monthly bowling night, it was also the day that Lance had decided to introduce the group to Lotor, his new cool and beautiful boyfriend. He's been hyping them up about it since Lotor had made time in his busy schedule for this moment. If we are being honest though, Lance was a bundle of nerves. His palms were sweaty and he kept looking at his phone. Time check? Half an hour to go until Lotor would pull up to Red Rock... and yet they hadn't even started to actually GO there. Doesn't matter if it's walking distance. He really wanted to be there when Lotor pulled up. So what does he do? The tall boy pushes everyone, urging them to leave sooner. "I don't want to make him waaaaaait! Pleeeease  _ guuuuuuys _ !" He was pouting now, but he couldn't help it. He was nervous and excited all at once... and he just wanted this moment to be perfect.

About twenty minutes later, his friends finally give into him and he takes shot gun in Hunk's car. Lance is shaking in his seat and practically staring holes into his phone. Lotor had already met Dulce, and now here he was... getting ready to introduce him to the rest of his friend group. They were his second family... so this was a huge deal to him. Silently he wonders who is going to give him the shovel talk. Or if they're going to even try considering they all can clearly see how happy he is.

Lotor had already arrived at Red Rock and shot Lance a text to let him know that he was waiting patiently. Oh boy, Lance just could not wait. He wanted to be there now. Right now.

“Come on guys! I want you all to meet himmmmm!” he shoves his phone in his front pocket, “I don’t want him to wait too long!” 

 

\-----

 

Keith huffed, trying his best not to show how badly all of this was affecting him. Lance spent the whole hangout at the outdoor mall just gushing about his new boyfriend. Honestly???? Keith should have stayed home. This just made him regret coming out today. He was so sick of it. Sick. Of. It. It was as though Lance  _ wanted _ him to have a hard time. Like he KNEW all of this was making him sick and he just didn't want to stop. Like maybe he just loved seeing him be sick. The dark haired man never thought he could get so physically sick from jealousy alone though. He never even got the chance to talk to Lance about his 'feelings' like he promised he would to Allura.

Lotor is waiting in the parking lot when the gang goes to park the car. Keith doesn't realize what Lotor is doing there until the unthinkable happens. He feels his heart sink a little as he watches Lance get out of the car and run straight up to greet and hug the damn bastard.

This was a problem. Why does Lance have hearts in his eyes while gazing at Lotor of all people? No. This wasn't happening. This can't be happening.

"Okay guys!" Lance beams once everyone is out of their cars and formed around him. "This is Lotor! My ' _ Mystery Man _ !' Okay, so Lotor this is Hun--"

Keith folds his arms in front of his chest, not wanting to be introduced to Lotor. Why would he? He already knows the asshole. Lotor, the prick who slept with different people all throughout high school just for the heck of it. Just because he knew he could. He was the type to be kind at first, but the second he got what he wanted he wouldn't hesitate to drop you. The hit it and quit it type. Fucking scum.

“You’re just using Lance.” He speaks up suddenly causing everything to go quiet. Everyone turns to look at Keith as though he’s grown another head. “Why the hell are you not in California? Leave and go back.”

“Oh, Keith. As pleasant as ever.” Lotor smiles.

“Oh stop trying to play innocent.” Keith steps up to him, trying to make himself taller even though Lotor’s got him beat in the height department. “You’re just using him. So back off and _ leave _ .”

“Okay stop,” Lance steps in between the two holding his arms up to keep them apart. “You both obviously know each other. So there’s that. But  _ please _ do not fight and ruin this night for me! Thanks.” Oh, but Keith just loves to fight with people in the wrong.  Especially if that person is trying to hurt someone he cares about.

“Oh, there’s not going to be any fighting, because Lotor is actually going to leave and go back to whatever ‘Valley girl hell’ he came from.” Keith shot back at Lance, uncrossing his arms. He glared directly at Lotor as he raised his fists ready to fight. Shiro sensed this and held Keith back from throwing any punches.

“Huh, ‘Valley girl hell’ that’s a new one,” Lotor shrugged and hugged Lance from behind, making Keith almost vibrate in anger as he watched Lance melt into the bastard’s arms. “I’m here as Lance’s boyfriend. So I would really appreciate it if we got along for him.” There it was. That almost sinister smile with that god awful wink, and Keith wanted nothing more than to smack his overly moisturised face.

The two continue bickering back and forth for a while, which almost results in an actual fist fight. Everyone else could only stand back and watch, because what else could they do? Holding either back wasn't helping at all. When security showed up though, they immediately stopped and everyone scattered to get away. Lotor leaves once Lance says it's okay. In Lance's eyes, Keith was being an asshole and he would be sure to 'talk to him' because this was not going to happen again.

The Korean boy turns to flip off Lotor. Before taking his leave, Lotor smirks and mouths to him, 'It's not my fault that Lance loves me the way you love him.' Did no one seriously catch that? No? Just Keith? Of course.

Shay, being the beautiful peace keeper she is, tries to point everyone to the bowling alley. Maybe it’ll help calm everyone down. Hunk aided her and announced that they can all talk this over a friendly game so ‘let’s not get violent guys.’

Keith's mind is so hazy, he doesn't even realize half of the things he's saying or doing. Literally blinded by jealousy, he mutters something to Lance about 'finding a nice rebound.' Lance immediately snaps around and gets in Keith's face. "It's been two months and maybe a couple of weeks since I met Lotor. It's been almost half a year since my confession... so what rebound? Do you even know what that is? Because boo, that is nowhere _ near _ a rebound. We didn't even date, so  _ what _ rebound? Why should it even matter to  _ you _ , huh?"

Right, to Lance, Keith should have no reason to be bothered. Keith rejected him after all.

"It's not your place to tell me who I can and can't like. When you didn't want to be with me, I didn't say  _ anything _ . What? Did Shiro end up not liking you back so you want to just go where you MIGHT have had a chance? Is that what I am to you?" Lance jabbed Keith in the chest with his perfectly manicured finger. Keith looks like a mess, no, he is a mess.

“No Lance, that’s not okay,” Shiro pulls Keith out of Lance’s war path, “There’s no reason for that.” 

“And there was no reason for him to be so rude to my boyfriend either, but he did it anyways!” Lance yelled, with Allura trying to calm him down before security comes for them again.

“Lance, I think it would be a good idea if I drove you home..” Coran tried to speak up, not wanting the two to hurt each other more than they already have.

“Sure, anything to get away from this asshole.” Lance huffed. That’s when all hell breaks loose, because Keith is seeing red and the regret boiled up in his gut.

"ASSHOLE? Yeah. I’m totally an asshole for trying to protect you from someone who just wants to hit it and quit it!" 

"WHO ASKED FOR YOUR PROTECTION? I SURE DIDN'T.” Lance snaps back with gritted teeth. “STOP ACTING LIKE YOU CARE, BECAUSE YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T. WHY WOULD YOU? YOU REJECTED ME, REMEMBER? OR DID YOU FORGET?"

Keith tries to compose himself, vainly attempting to settle that sinking feeling in his chest from Lance’s words. "You think I don't care?” Keith balled up his fist, shaking, “If I didn't care I wouldn't even be here right now telling you that this guy is using you for your body. He’s just using you! Why can’t you understand?"

Lance didn’t want to hear it at this point. "He's not using me! And stop assuming that he is! I don't know how you guys know each other, but people change! Like fuck, is it that hard to believe that someone might actually give a shit about me, huh Keith? Or even wow... crazier... ACTUALLY LOVE ME?"

Keith couldn't speak anymore. He wanted to cry out to Lance and tell him that he's wrong. Problem was... he couldn't. Why should he be upset? He's the one that rejected Lance... This is what he wanted... it's exactly what he got. He growled in frustration and turned away. He couldn't be here anymore. Looks like Lance had the same idea. They both storm off in separate directions, leaving the others to gawk at the scene before them.

 

\-----------------------

 

“I think I’m officially too old for this shit,” Coran sighs into the wine glass in his hand, “I can’t deal with this tension every time they’re near each other.”   
  
“It would help if Lance di-,” Shiro started, only to be cut off right away by Hunk.

“If Lance didn’t what?” Hunk glared at Shiro, “Didn’t confess to Keith only to be rejected? Started to date someone that cares about him?” he grumbled,  leaning over the table to shake a breadstick at Shiro's face.

“Someone who cares about him? What does that make Keith then?” Allura butted i n, a little irritated that Keith's feelings weren't even being considered here.

“He rejected Lance. Right after that he basically ignored him? We all had to put up with that! I talked to Keith! He shouldn’t be behaving like this!” Pidge took an aggressive bite out of their pasta.

Shay hummed and played with her soup, “I mean if they both just had a good sit down... They wouldn’t be so....  _ This _ .”

“... Keith is hurt too.” Shiro sighed out.

“How can he be hurt?” Pidge picked at the salad in front of them, “He didn’t want to be with Lance...  But now he does? What's with the delay? It's been MONTHS. He can't seriously expect Lance to still be waiting for him after all this time!"

Allura put her glass aside, “You know Keith is not that great with his emotions...”

“Yeah, sure. That’s because all he wants to do is fight, fight, fight. Poor Lotor, he wasn’t even given a fair chance...” Hunk bit into his pasta.

Coran gazed into his wine glass, “but what about ‘hitting and quitting’? Should we worry? Or is this jealousy?  Also, someone care to explain ‘hit and quit it’?”

Shay leans in to whisper to him. "I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS!!" Coran shrieks, causing a few of the other customers in the restaurant to look at him oddly.

“It has to be some sort of warning!” Shiro banged his fist on the table, causing the group to jump.

“But what if it is jealousy? Because let me tell you, Lance hasn’t been this happy for months!” Hunk pushed his plate to the side, appetite gone. 

There was obvious side taking, and it took everything they had to hold back from bickering in the middle of their usual Olive Garden.

 

\--------

 

Some point after their fight, Keith rushes home.  Poor guy was so out of it he almost went and got himself into a wreck. He slams the door the second he gets home, not caring about anyone complaining about it. I mean, he's in Vegas. Who was really going to care about it at this point? It was normal.

The moment that he slumps into his bed, everything just comes out. He buries his face into his pillow and cries.

Why Lotor of all people?

Why did Lance have to meet Lotor? What was Lotor doing on this side of town? When did he even get the chance to meet Lance? He gets that everyone in Vegas ends up knowing each other at some point, but why does Lance have to know Lotor?

He takes out his phone and hovers over the call button. He wants to talk to Lance, make things right again.... But how?

 

\-----

 

Meanwhile, Lance is back at home talking with Lotor on the phone. “Babe, I am.. So sorry you had to be put through that, I didn’t expect you two to know each other....”

“Darling, it’s fine, no problem.” Lotor spoke gently into the receiver, “There was no way of knowing what happened in the past. Besides, to me the past is the past, and there was no way for you to know about us knowing each other...”

Lance agrees, because how was he to know Keith was going to be such an ass? “I can’t understand how Keith can’t let that all go....”

The two of them end up talking for hours. They had stopped talking about Keith and just moved on to skin care and 'what sort of hair masks can you DIY?' It's way past 2:00 am when they decide that it's late and that they have to go to bed. Lance is reluctant to hang up though. He's having such a great time on the phone with Lotor. "Go to sleep. I'll text you in the morning when I wake up." Lotor smoothly tells him, adding a soft chuckle at the end. Lance feels his face burning and can't help but swoon at the sound of his laugh. "Okay. Good night." he hums before hanging up. He goes to sleep with thoughts of how Lotor makes him feel about himself. It's so nice to have someone who actually wants him. Someone wants him. He's falling in love with this man. Oh yeah, he can feel it.

 

\----

 

 **SquadGoals** _8:45am_

 

Lance: Hey guyyyyssssss I know it’s early and I’m sorry about last night love you guys!

Hunk: <3 no worries my dude! Just hope you’re okay!

Lance: <33333 and I’m all good so no worries ~ Lotor(<3) and I are going to have a spaaa daaaayyyyyyy

Hunk: that’s nice of him o:

Lance: He said it’s his way of saying sorry for last night !!! He spoils me soo~

Pidge: It’s not even 9am Lance I’m going to hurt you.

Lance: Good morning to you too Pidge.

Pidge: So today is spa day with your sugar daddy? 

Hunk: lol sugar daddy

Lance: Guysss noooo

Hunk: Sugar daddddyyy

Pidge: totally your sugar daddy

Lance: My BOYFRIEND not sugar daddy

Lance: He just likes to give me things

Lance: and spoils me.

Hunk: As Pidge said, sugar daddy.  ;P                                                         

 

\------------

 

Well, here they are again. After multiple attempts to do so, Shiro had finally managed to get Keith and Lance to stay in the same room together without that much of a fight. Of course... it was with the safety of Allura's presence and Shiro's ability to separate them when needed.

Everything was working out fine, that is until Lance said he didn’t have anymore time to hang around. Lotor was going to take him out to dinner after shopping ’again.’ 

“What do you mean again? Is he really your boyfriend or your sugar daddy?” Uh-oh.   
  
“Um, time out but, I’m sorry con excuse me where did you hear this?” Lance stood up, causing Shiro to step in as a barrier between the two as he sensed their hostility. “Let’s get it together before you wanna read. I don’t have a sugar daddy! Everything I ever had I’ve  _ worked _ for and I built myself. I need you to know that 100%,” he paused to glare at Keith more. “I don’t have a sugar daddy! I’ve never had a sugar daddy. If I wanted a sugar daddy, yes, I probably can go out and get one, because I AM WHAT? SICKENING. Everything I've had I worked for, and I've gotten myself. I built myself from the ground up, FUCKING BITCH!I’m in a relationship, and it’s not just for money. Who do you take me for? Is that how you see me? Or are you just  _ THAT  _ bitter?” Lance angrily threw his arms in the air. “You really, REALLY think of my like that?!” he barked at Keith,  trying to stop himself from shaking because he was so angry.

"YOU HAVE NO SAY IN ANYTHING I DO!" Lance yelled as he stormed out, leaving behind two very exhausted friends and one very upset Keith.

“Keith, you are making it very hard on me. I’m trying to help mend whatever rift the both of you have between eachother.” Shiro sighed into his hand, exasperated. 

“I... I can’t help it?” Keith  glared at the floor so hard he could probably burn holes into it. . “I just get so.... Jealous.” 

“At least you admit it...” Allura sighed as she rubbed circles onto Keith’s back, “That’s... Progress I guess?”

 

\-------

 

Saturday night, and it was date night. The one day that Lotor has free and he spent it mostly dressed, much to his displeasure. 

Lance was currently laying on Lotor, arms wrapped around the taller man and head tucked under his chin. It was a very nice, relaxing night after that stupid fight with  _ stupid _ Keith. Who did he think he was anyways?  Who did he think he was to say shit about his relationship with Lotor? . Lance was an adult. And he sure as hell could date whomever he pleases! Sugar Daddy or not. 

Fuck why was he thinking about Keith? Forget about that asshole! If Keith wants to wallow in his own sorrow and regret, he can do that. See what he’s missing. See Lance is wayyy better off without him. He doesn’t need Keith, he has Lotor. 

Speaking of Lotor....

The sound of Lotor’s steady heart beat soothed Lance’s anger. It calmed him like no other. But something was... off. Something Lance couldn’t place.  It was like he wasn't 100% being paid attention to? He loosed his hug and turned to see Lotor’s phone screen. It was displaying a message of- what the fuck is Lotor hitting on someone while he was snuggling him? 

“Lotor what the fuc-,” Lance started but was pulled into a kiss, Lotor’s face unreadable.

“Sorry darling, I need to schedule my hair appointment for next month,” Lotor started ruffling Lance’s brown mop. “We are leaving next month, have to look my best for the best man in the world.”

Lance beamed at this and squeezed Lotor in a crushing hug, “You’re the best!”

When he thought Lance couldn’t see him, Lotor’s face scrunched up in annoyance. 

Lance let himself sleep over, unknowing to him that an impatient and dissatisfied Lotor was sending out a message: “Want to come over tomorrow night? I need some sort of release.”

\-------

**SquadGoals** _ 6:39pm _

Lance: I am.... *eye emoji*

Hunk: You’re what?

Lance: Sus... picious .... I thought Lotor was hitting on someone but he was just trying to make a hair appointment. 

Lance: But it was this person hitting on him and he’s just trying to be nice. He’s so good and letting people off nice what a guy. But this hair person is sus...

Pidge: Oh boy..

\------

 

From: Pidge

Okay you knew Lotor from way back when right? Tell me about him because I don’t know how but he’s totally clean online. I find this to be impossible.

To: Pidge

He isn’t to be trusted, he was the worst person I’ve ever met and still is. 

From: Pidge

Give me everything cause something is bothering me. 

To: Pidge   
Lotor past relationships were only sex, he would dump them once he fucked them but no one complained about it cause it was Lotor like the asshole spent money on all of them and he would make them emotionally invested in him and he was the WORST. He got off on that. 

From: Pidge   
Lance told us he’s going to California with Lotor. So I don't know what to do? 

 

Keith frowned at his phone, needing time to take in the text. A sense of overwhelming dread filled him and worry threatened to spill in and out of his throat. Keith being mortified is an understatement. 

Too fucking late. He was too fucking late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3  
> I love to suffer.  
> hmu and scream at me on any of my social media I would love it really


	4. Redemption

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been over a year since I updated and it isn't fair that I haven't touched this in such a long time. I went ahead and decided to just go ahead and upload the whole last chapter as is. I'm sorry this isn't as good. But here it is. Unbeta, in all its glory.

Chapter name: Redemption 

 

From: Hunk  
Hey dude, hows packing going?  
Lance’s smiled bright and was giddy unlocking his phone, he was just so excited! A whole week with someone who wanted to cherish him! Soon he was going to be spoiled from how Lotor showers him with gifts of affection and attention. Everything he has ever wanted in a relationship. He was blessed, really. Where else would he have gotten so much love? Keith? No, who even brought him up? Whatever, Hunk is a texting.  
To: Hunk  
Great! I can’t wait for this trip! A whole week? Just the two of us? #ThisISWhatDreamsAreMadeof  
From: Hunk  
Remember to call me! Don’t forget about us while you’re out! Snap me!!! FACETIME!!!!  
To: Hunk  
Ofc! I mean it’s just California soooooo  
From: Hunk  
*eye roll emoji*   
To: Hunk  
Lol dude I’ll miss you too buddy <3 But you’ll hear from me the whole time, it’s hard to get rid of me *peace sign emoji* 

Lance moved over to put his phone back on a charger, he still had a whole day to finish packing before Lotor would be on his way to pick him up. The time went by so fast he didn’t even have time to sit down and really plan out any outfits for this trip. Sure, he was going to be gone a week and from Vegas to California was only a six hour drive and even less by plane.. But he wanted to look good while he was there with Lotor.  
He wanted to look nice and have people look at the two of them like they were the ideal couple. Because both him and Lotor? Not to brag but Lance really does see the two of them as really beautiful together. Goals. He should totally put that on his IG. Caption ‘Goals’ Hashtag.... Summer lovin’ .. Perfect.

\-----

Everything has to go into its place in his luggage. He may feel rushed but Lance is an organised boy with intention to have space to bring back things for everyone and because he feels like everything belongs in a plac--  
‘I don’t want it I don’t want it at all I don’t--’ Oh fuck ringtone, in a rush to run over to his phone Lance trips, stubs his toe and hs to catch himself before he face plants.   
He picks up to his sister being overly protective, sisters am I right?   
“Okay but you have to understand! I had a dream! Not a good one!” Lance can hear her pacing. “Look, I trust him, if I didn’t I wouldn't be going with him to begin with!” Lance huffs, falling down to sit criss cross next to his luggage, putting her on speaker so he can carefully fold all the nice clothes he bou- Lotor bought him.   
“I’m not going to hold back when I say ‘I told you so!’ pendejo!” and with three beeps his sister hung up. Wow. So what if people aren’t trusting his judgement??? Nothing new. It’s time to finish and he can’t be carrying around this kind of negativity.  
He gets to be with Lotor... Alone! For a whole week, he’s getting excited just thinking about it! Fuck negativity. He’s a glamazon bitch ready for the runway nothing's gonna stop him!  
‘Ding ding’ ugh, more texts, what now?  
From: Lotor  
Hey lovely! Are you ready for tomorrow? <3  
Lance beams at the text, his fingers too clumsy to even type out his reply properly the first time, way too excited.   
Lotor is very happy about this and scene he puts his phone down and he’s fucking someone into his bed and he imagines Lance while doing that and gets off on that image. Whoops.  
That got dark  
Them hanging out in calliofniaaaa  
Lance very happy about being at the beach  
Swiming makes him happy makes him miss flordia  
Have Lance talk about his family. How his family used to always go to the beach and he would be the best unlce to his niece and newphew.  
“You know I’m from Florida?” Lance traced stick figures into the sand, “It was me, my mama.. All my siblings... Cousins.. Tias... my Tios... Abuela... My dad... He tought me to swin, how to love the beach..” he sighed out, looking out to the water “I missed my niece and nephew, they were so little when I moved out here...”  
Talk about him missing them all going to the beach  
Have him sit on the sand, feeling the waves hit his toes, him sinking into the sand and talking about how mch he loves his family and have him turn to lotor and he smiles at him, holds lotor hand, lance is pure, lotor is not.  
Lotor is just a nasty crimeboy  
lol  
They go shopping  
They go out eating

This comes in part with like, their break up later cause i need lotor to be the biggest asshole when it happens. Like it’s the last day in California like last night thet go back home the next morning and Lotor is balls deep into Lance when he’s so close and he looks Lance dead in the eyes and tells him he’s breaking up with him and that broken look on Lance is what makes him go over and he climbs out of bed and tells lance he can do whatever he wants/ that hes going on the shower and he’ll be a while so lance can take his time and leave.  
And lance never packed so fast and left so fast in his life(he even leaves behind all the things that lotor bought for him, anything he didn’t buy with his own money e left behind) he saw lotor planned it cause there was a plane ticket right there, waiting, he doesn’t take it and rips it in half, then that night, and lance lyfts it to the airport crying, even the lyft drivers like “u okay?” and lance explains all, he has time, air port isn't THAT close and traffic is tight. He ends up texting the main group wtf is up and he tells them his landing time and turns his phone off once he pays for his lyft.  
He pays for his own fucking ticket home because fuck lotor, he is heart broken and sitting on his luggage in the airport crying, head hung and really trying not to bring any attention his way. He hasn’t felt this defeated and heart broken in a long time. He thought he had it this time. He’s always had problems like this, and it hurts to much, he’s cold, and wants nothing more than to go home, shower, and sink into his bed, but since he’s going to be picked up, he knew he would have to wait, have to explain everything again, he’s not sure if he’s ready, maybe he can go drink this all away,,,  
Like this is after he come back from california and lance is heart broken cause lotor was just like “so i don't think this is going to work” after shaming lance into the hotel bed   
The moment he lands hunk shay and pidge are there with coran waiting in the car for them.  
He just goes and tears up a little after he was faking smiles and he says he’s so stupid to even fall for that again and he just hates himself and he does this the whole way to the car with people watching them cause lance is a sobbering mess. Like they're pulling lances luggage, carrying his carry on, and holding lance close as he comes apart.  
In the car he tells them like in detail about lotor and theyre all pissed like what is lotors game even why the fuck hurt lance like that and pidge goes OFF cause lance been having the worst luck with relationships and lance just cries more cause damn his friends really care.  
Allura finds out via group chat of “so lance is back from California, club time, anyone in?” and she’s like sure! And then they all meet up to go to like, the club at free zone or something idk where yet and lance is all upset and shes like what what happened and he tells her and she goes all mum and then okay so like no everyone was able to take it to this thing so it was hunk pidge allura and lance. And allura feels like a little bad for taking keiths side in everything but i mean idk and she and lance take shots.  
So while there lance proclaims “NO RELATIONSHIPS I”M OVER THEM!” and they all take more shots and dance the night away. The song Alright by ariana grande is important here  
When LAnce wakes up in the morning he sees pidge up with shay and he talks to them, hunk wakes up and makes them pancakes and then allura is a wake and talks to lance about like what he’s going to do about lotor like that guy spent so much money and lance is like “I guess that was the oint so seduce me??? I thought he liked me?? Oh well fuck relationships Ive been having the worst luck so I’m not dating anyone for a while” pidge is thinking shit keith was right and so she texts him and keith is quick to reply.  
She tells him exactly what lance told her and keith asks how lance is fairing and she's like well who knows because he’s really torn up and says he's not going to do relationships so if he even thinks about it like it’s probably not going to happen and keith just “fuck”  
So here is like their next time everyone is together keith is paying more mind to lance and lance is kinda uncomfortable? Like why is keith so close? Wtf is he doing? After all that fighting? And tries his best to like, not confront him like what does keith pity him and why the fuck just cause him and lotor are no longer a thing everything is chill between them? No? Even tho lotor was a huge asshole and keith was right? No???? That doesn’t excuse him one bit for lashing out at him.  
Keith notices that Lance doesn’t want him around and it hurts he just wants to be there for him but lance isn’t letting that happen.  
He even pulls lanec aside like “you know i care about you right? I’m sorry for lashing out at you and for what ive said but it’s lotor, i know him , i knew this was his end game”  
Lance is also sorry for not listening to him but he wants keith to understand lance didnt have a reason to listen to keith because at that point lance didn't think of them as friends anymore.  
So Keith keeps trying to be a better friend (tm) and LAnce is like okay dude what is your problem? Like confromt him cause it reallt really makes him feel off that keith is being like this and Keith is just sweating feeling like he’s going to throw up and he does, but like word vomit and starts saying he was so stupid not to realise that he actually liked lance and he really wants to try again and he hopes hes not too late and says how before he thoght he was really too late and that's why he got into that fight with him in the first place.   
And lance is speechless cause him MONTHS MONTHS ago would have been so happy about this but turns out he really isn’t? And he’s like “I think I’m over you?” and he sees keiths face pale and he can tell from the trembling of his vocie that he was already expecting it but it really hurt to say and this is probably how lance felt when he confessed and keith rejected him.  
And lance turns to walk away from keith but keith stops him and says hell do anything to even get them to be how they used to be because honestly rn suchs not being best friends he misses lance coming over to play dumb games he misses netflix time with him when they would watch random stuff they find he misses when they wwent to the movies to watch anything new before their friend group did just because it was fun to go together.   
Even if it’s to start over, he just wants his friend back.  
And lance just sighs and says he’ll have to think about it but right now it would have to be a friendship because he’s not looking for any relationship any time soon, not after what happened with lotor and keith nods but is still disappointed with this revelation.  
But it’s SOMETHING  
All he wants is to like be near lance and hug him and kiss him and be with him and maybe be able to wake up in the morning with him and he might not be able to have that but he wants lance that’s all he wants he misses lance but he can’t say that he wants to also be his friend , so he agrees.  
Now all that's here is keith being a good friendTM  
And him getting a long better with everyone and everyone can tell that it’s keith that heavy pinning over lance and lance isn’t even paying attention to that..

So like I need more to put here cause I want his to be the last chapter????  
Add more interactions and more of lance being like yeah I do like keith what up but with Keith really trying to be his friend again and lance being like fuck it lets start again.  
Add more here with some keith and lance bonding times lol also make sure to add it so it’s other poeple with them hanging out like before this whole mess started.  
And then lotor texts lance asking how he is.  
And lance starts to go off on lotor asking him why he’s contacting him now, and lotor says noreason.  
But cue back when after lance had left and lotor comes out the shower and he was half expecting lance to be waiting and demanding a talk with lotor, something, even a fight, but there was nothing.  
And it slowly drove him mad for months, he got too used to lance, he cursed himself for catching any sort of feeling but here he was, with feelings, for lance, and texting him, and seeing that lance has no intrst over the phone he thought it would be best to meet up with him, so he goes and tries to catch lance outside a starbucks, it works but lance sees lotor before lotor sees him and lance does all in his power to hide from him(hidding behind people, putting his hoodie up, turning corners as fsat as he can, running to his car in a mad dash), thus a nice long phone call with hunk about how scared he is?

Him and hunk being bffs about how things have been going, how maybe this whole thing with Lotor was just him really trying to ignore Keith and then Keith being his friend again and openly liking him really has gotten to him and he doesn’t know what to do..  
\----  
LAnce and pidge and hunk hanging out and going to watch power rangers, Pidge asks heyyy should we invite keith? And lance is like why not? They’ve been civil enough. They’ve bumped into each other every now and again outside of their own hang outs, , theyre going to the movies they don't have to talk to each other. Even if theyre hanging out, the group doesn’t want to play with demons okay? They don't know 100% of the situation.  
And they hang out and keith is sticking close to lance and theyre both trying hard to be nice to each other but it’s so awkward. Since they don’t know how to act around each other around others. They arent used to this. They watch Love, simon, what great movie I can’t wait for it to come out.  
Lotor sees them outside of the theater and lance is like fucking really? Here? Outside of AMC in town fuking square? You hard to do this? Here? He just wanted froyo why get in the way of that?  
Keith and lotor get in a fight, lance and hunk pull keith away while pidge screams profanity at lotor, going on about how lance can never love someone like him.  
Lotor says that this isn’t the end. Stalking off, leaving a heavy air. 

Lance and coran are out shopping for athletic wear, they run into shiro and allura, lance mentions what happened but doesn’t fail to blush when he mentions how keith was fighting fo him... HUNK AND PIDGE TOO OFC!  
They all snicker at him and end up staying till closing looking at all the boxing stuff.

After the fight with lotor Keith and Lance have a good heart to heart for real, before the whole California thing, not just hanging out, but they need this to clear everything, about how they need to work on communication and that just trying to go back to what it used to be isn’t good and yeah talking? Very much needed, make sure to add a lot of awkward notes in their hang outs in the top portions of this fic.  
Talking about what bothered them and they do really miss hanging out with each other and Keith apologies for being jealous, Lance apologies for being petty and Keith just “no no it’s okay please don’t worry about that it’s my fault for picking fights just to pick them”  
They both just end the talk laughing and making plans to just, start off again, properly, and Lance feels okay again. Like this bond that he broke off with Keith was mended, it was finally coming back together after all the heart breaks, the fights, and the drama.  
He can’t wait for the weekend.  
But keith gets in an accident on the 215 and he was on his bike and he should be lucky to even be alive and he wakes up in the ER and all he wants is lance and goes back to sleep.  
So they everyone finds out that keith got into an accident and theyre all freaking out because holy shit is he okay and lance is just stone cold like his blood ran cold and he panics because holy shit keith KEITH. What if his stubbornness is the reason he never got a chance what if keith doesn’t make it and he never gets to love him and he rushes over to the ER.  
Keith wakes up after like a week in a room(, people have come and gone to visit him, lance was last before the others left.) to lance resting his head on the bed, sleeping, holding keiths hand and keith squeezes lance hand and shiro comes in the room with a get well bear he got at the gift shop.  
Everyone visits him but lance stays the whole time and when keith is like 100% Lance breaks down and cries because Keith could have DIED and Lance would have never just gave in to what he wants to be with Keith and he stilled like Keith all this time even tho he just wanted to pretend like he didn’t cause he’s petty and bitter about that rejection and he just wanted Keith to work for it and he could HAVE LOST KEITH  
And keith just brings lances hand up to place on keiths chest lance stops crying for a second and keiths like “heres my heart beat I’m alive” and like idk how to make that do smooth?  
And lance just bursts into more tears and gets closer to keith trying not to hurt him. And they hug and after like a while like that and nurses telling lance to stop being on the bed Keiths just like “so you like me back?” and lance pouts and “don't make me repeat myself” and keith laughs even tho it hurts cause it’s Lance? Lance is his now?   
The song moonlight by ariana grande

And somehow it ends

 

 

So this is it. I'm sorry I wasn't able to finish it, but this is what it's come to since my life has been hell with my eating disorder, with alcohol abuse, i had death in the family and I had family drama, life has been to chaotic for me I can't even rest. I had a lot of health scares and mine are the worst cause cancer? Chemo? Oh honey I never wanna do that ever again.   
I might come back to this last chapter and redo it, fix it up to how I would have done it. But I don't have the writing talent for it. I love to read but it's so hard to write, for example this fic.

I love everyone that supported this fic and I'm thankful for those that wrote comments, gave kudos and even sent me asks on tumblr. I'm mostly on twitter now if you wanted but to talk, but for now, cecile out. Can't wait for Season 6. <3  
Also Shangela, who was mentioned in the last chapter WAS ROBBED IN ALL STARS THREE SHE WAS RRRROOOBBBBEEEDDDDdd  
ugh even with all those game of throne refs she's still such a queen

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments would be really nice because as I've said, I have no idea what I'm doing after not writing anything for years. I thank both my really good friends for helping me edit this since my english isn't that great. <3  
> Also thanks to my friends who really liked the prompt I had for this and encouraged me to write this!
> 
> \---  
> Look me up as @cecilebakura for any social media to yell at me about this too. I'm on almost everything.


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